Change
by Canadian Spark
Summary: Naruto has his heart broken by Sasuke and runs away from Konoha. Four years have passed, and a lot of things have changed.
1. Flee

Well I'm happy to say that I have gone through the chapters in this story and EDITED! Yes, I know, you're amazed right now. Thanks for the support.

Tears fell from aquamarine eyes, hitting the cold ground below. Tanned fists were clenched tight at the sides of the orange-clad 16 year old. "Why..." he whispered in a soft shaky voice, the broken plea barely audible.

"You do nothing but hold me back. You're weak. Pathetic. Not even worthy of my time." The raven haired boy across from him responded, staring at his companion with an indignant expression.

"But...you said you loved me Sasuke...how could you betray me like this?" Naruto choked out, more tears rolling down his scarred cheeks.

"Its not my fault you were foolish enough to believe me. I'm an avenger, I have no time for love. And even if I could love, what makes you think I could love a loser like you?" Sasuke spat coldly.

Naruto just stared at Sasuke, eyes wide and bloodshot before a sob tore itself from his throat and his knees gave out forcing him to the ground. He clutched his chest with his hand, as if to try and stop his heart from breaking.

Sasuke smirked at Naruto, turning around and stalking to the door of their bedroom. "Leave. You're a waste of space and I don't want you polluting the air in my room." A pale hand pointed to the door.

"N-no...this is our room. N-not just yours!" Naruto cried out, distressed beyond reason now. He looked up at Sasuke from his spot on the hardwood floor.

Sasuke's smirk turned into a frown. He stalked over to Naruto and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground. "You've got it completely wrong Naruto. I bought this house. I paid for it. I own it. Now get out!" he tossed Naruto outside of his room, allowing him to slide across the floor in the hallway, relishing in the cries of pain and shock Naruto made.

"Please Sasuke! I have no where to go! You're my life! I gave it all up for you, how could you abandon me!" Naruto screamed, reaching out to grab Sasuke's pant leg. He was met with a steel-toe shoe to the cheek. He heard a crack, and knew it was most likely a bone.

"That's not my problem." Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hair and dragged him to the front door, tossing him outside. "No one in Konoha cares for you. What made you think I would be any different?" he laughed and slammed the door in the crying Naruto's face, locking it securely behind him. He knew that Naruto wouldn't try and break in using any jutsu, he was far too upset to think of doing so.  


After giving up on pounding at Sasuke's door, Naruto had wandered aimlessly through the streets of Konoha, remembering Sasuke's words. 'He's right...no one cares about me. It wouldn't make a difference to them if I was gone forever. Why am I torturing myself with this dream of being Hokage?'

He finally stopped at his apartment, coming to a decision. Opening his door, which he never locked anyways, he side-stepped the piles of dirty laundry and old ramen cups that littered the floor, heading straight to his bedroom. Taking out his mission bag, he began loading clothing and food into it. Within the hour he was ready to leave, all of his personal belongings crammed into one tiny bag.

Hurriedly leaving his apartment, he took out a kunai and stabbed a note to the door, a terse smile adorning his tear-streaked face, before rushing off. He had to leave soon, or else he won't want to leave at all. Making it to the gates within moments, he stepped outside them, looking like an ordinary ninja going out on a mission. His footsteps faltered momentarily, as he stared at the glowing moon above him. Tearing his stinging eyes away from it, Naruto shifted his bag on his shoulder and forced a grim smile.

"Goodbye Konoha."

With that, Naruto Uzumaki was gone.


	2. Missions

The sound of heavy boots could be heard, clear evidence of someone stomping their way through the forest, unaware or uncaring of their surroundings and the possible dangers all around them. Blood pumped adrenaline into their veins, forcing them onward, pushing the limitations that would usually force the body to grow tired. Exhaustion had no place in their heart now; it was a matter of survival, and pure animal prowess that kept them racing through the trees, smashing through branches with arms raised to shield the face of a criminal.

Whilst the sound of their boots scared away most living creatures in the area, it also drew some nearer; it had become a plea for death. Surely no one who truly wished to live and not be found wouldn't be making such a disturbance in the forest of Konoha. It was simply a general rule not to break the peace when you were being hunted, for it would surely lead to demise.

True to the natural way of things, the hunter approaches, his agile footfalls a contrast to the pounding of his prey's. The only sound he hears is the blood rushing through his victim's body, pulsating irregularly as he realizes he's so very close to death. He can smell the fear of his quarry, the undeniable scent of sweat and adrenaline mixing in a final attempt at survival. It would be futile of course, the man has let desperation take over any form of sense.

Knowing there was no sense in continuing such a chase, the hunter raised a tanned hand, a black kunai with golden engravings in it resting between his fingers, and made a swift forward motion, landing silently on a tree branch to watch the downfall of his prey. It had been quick; for he was not one to torture someone without just cause, and all this man had been guilty of was petty theft. Nonetheless, it had been his job as a ninja to go by what the mission stated; it just so happened that this mission demanded death.

He jumped down from the tree limb, gracefully landing beside the fallen body. He removed the kunai from the corpse, and closed his crimson eyes for a moment, as the sounds of nature soon returned. No longer did the thumping heart of his victim torment him, now he could once again bask in the serenity of the forest. He could now feel the wind blowing his golden bangs across his striped cheeks, the light from the sun overhead occasionally breaking through the thick trees, giving his tanned skin an unnatural hue.

When he opened his eyes again, he knew it was time to bring the body back. He had been gone long enough, wasting time on a senseless chase that was rather uncharacteristic of him. He had no idea what was wrong with him, but he was sure that it had something to do with the fox.

Crouching down, he grabbed the body of the man with one hand, and formed a hand seal with another, disappearing in a burst of flames, reappearing outside a huge building built of sand. No open windows were visible, most of them covered with banners that sported the symbol of Suna. It wasn't a real sign of support or love for the sand village, the banners were really only there to keep out sand and the sun.

When he had first come to Suna four years previously, he couldn't stand the heat, often passing out from sun stroke. It had taken him almost a year to fully adjust in order to train for more than an hour at 

a time, much faster than most ninja who couldn't train that much even when they were born in Suna. The heat was extreme, never ceasing, even in the shadiest of places you could still see the heat waves rising off the sand.

Though the sandstorms were without a doubt the worst part of Suna, as they came on quickly and usually without warning. During a mild sandstorm there could be up to three deaths, usually people that got caught out in the open and couldn't find their way to shelter. Three deaths was truly a great improvement from the dozens that used to go missing before the new Kazekage took over.

A soft smile formed on his face when he recalled the current Kazekage, who also happened to be his best friend. Gaara Sabaku (spelling?) the master of sand, and a fellow demon host, he was the best ruler Suna had ever seen, and though no one would openly admit it, everyone knew it deep down. Gaara had changed a lot over the years, he was no longer the monster everyone had considered him to be. After the epic battle in Konoha he had been forced to see things differently, from a more human perspective. Ever since then, the concerns and needs of his village came before all else.

He walked slowly up the stairs and into the building, the dead man now slung over his shoulder. He glanced at the guards, both of them familiar, they nodded at him and knocked on a large stone door, before opening it and stepping back, bowing their heads slightly. He walked into the room, grinning at the sight of the red haired ruler sitting at a desk, with huge piles of papers all around him. "Having fun I assume?" he dropped the body on the ground, it landing with a thud.

"You have no sense of cleanliness, do you? That man could have diseases or something." Gaara waved his pale hand dismissingly. "And as if I need to state it, no, I am not having fun." He signed a paper, putting it down in one of the numerous piles, before fully looking up at Naruto with his emerald eyes, the black outlines not as profound as they used to be. "I take it the mission was a success? No injuries or problems?"

"No, there were no problems. He was with a small group of rogues, but I quickly took care of them. No one will ever know they're missing. And as you can see, he is here with minimal injuries, it can be played off as a natural death or accident." He had become professional again as he explained the mission. A sense of discipline had finally taken over him not long after he came to Suna, he had become mature, though certain people still got to see the old him underneath it all. "I suppose you want the body to be handed over to your guards so they can deal with it?"

Gaara nodded slightly, pushing a button on his desk and waiting for the doors to open. "Take away the body, dispose of it. Should anyone ask, the man died in the sandstorm last week, and his body was only recently discovered." He turned back to his golden haired friend, allowing a sad smile to grace his lips. "I'm afraid I have one more mission for you, one that I regretfully must impose upon you merely because you are the only one I can trust." He looked at his desk, picking up a black folder and handing it to his best friend.

Picking it up, his crimson eyes became a shade darker after reading the first paragraph. "Escort you to Konoha?" he looked up at Gaara. "I really don't think that's a good idea Gaara, I mean, can't you have Kankuro or Temari take you?"

"Absolutely not. You are the man for the job, and besides, its time you faced the past. You can't avoid it forever, it'll only be for a few weeks anyways, not that big of a deal." Gaara rolled his eyes. "I'm not exactly thrilled to have to leave the comfort of my home either you know."

Golden hair covered his eyes now. "I don't want to go Gaara, you know what it'll be like facing him again."

"You have no choice. I'm afraid you're required. As a transfer ninja from Suna, I command you, Uzumaki Naruto, to escort the Kazekage to Konoha." Gaara's voice had become stern, leaving no room for questions. He knew how difficult it would be, but it was something Naruto would have to face eventually, the sooner the better. "We leave tomorrow morning, be here at dawn." He turned back to his paperwork, letting only his eyes trail upwards for a moment. "And Naruto, please forgive me."

Naruto looked at Gaara, a soft smile playing on his lips. "How could I not? You're my best friend, and I know you'll be there for me whenever I need you. Just promise you'll stand by me when it all comes crashing down Gaara." Naruto turned and walked out of the room. He wouldn't abandon Gaara, he knew he couldn't, so he would spend the night packing and resting before the trip tomorrow.

Naruto Uzumaki would soon be returning to the place he had avoided for four years, he was going home. He was going to Konoha.


	3. Returning

It was that time again, that beautiful moment where it was not day or night, but that haze in between. Over the desert, the faint outline of the horizon was cutting through the dark, the first beginnings of sunlight breaking up the night sky, lightening the blackness to a faded out blue. It was this time of day that Naruto loved most. It was a time where he felt he was in two different dimensions, that of the light, and of the dark. It was a visual representation of his mind really, the darkness that plagued him in his dreams, being dispersed by the prospect of a new day.

While his dreams were evidence of his haunted past, he knew things were so much better in Suna than they would have been had he stayed in Konoha. He had a new life, and some true friends here. Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, some local school teachers that he helped out often, the man at the kebab stand, the children of the village…

"No one in Konoha cares for you. What made you think I would be any different?" Naruto shook the voice away, burying it in the depths of his mind, as he had done every morning for four years. It was routine now, normal. The past was something he couldn't escape, but he could most certainly make sure he didn't repeat it. His trip to Konoha was simply a mission; he would treat it as such. It wouldn't have to be some big reunion or social event, it couldn't be. Things couldn't go back to the way they were.

Naruto sighed, sitting up in his large bed and pushing the canopy aside with one fluid movement of his hand. Lifting his hands high over his head, he rolled his shoulders, waiting to hear the satisfying crack before lowering them and letting a small smile grace his features. He quickly strode over to the double window; opening them both and letting the bright sunlight greet him. "Good morning Suna!" he cried out, then cringed when he realized that he was residing in the Kazekage's personal quarters, and most of Gaara's attendants would still be asleep at this hour.

Leaving the windows open to air out the room; he walked over to his closet and began pulling out selected outfits. Most of them were black, consisting of a fishnet shirt that covered the arms and his neck, followed by a vest that protected his chest, stomach and back. His pants were full-length, and black often paired with an orange belt and some lightweight boots. Around his neck, a choker with the pendant Tsunade had given him rested against his tanned skin, just over the fishnet covering it. He pulled on a pair of black gloves with reinforced metal in the knuckles, very effective when he needed to go one-on-one with someone.

After dressing in his favourite outfit, he tossed a few extra pairs into his mission bag, along with some spare weapons he had left over after putting his main ones on. By the time he was finished packing, the sun was dominating the sky, and it was time for him to head to Gaara's office. No doubt his friend was waiting for him at this point. Picking up his black bag, he slung it loosely over one shoulder and walked out the door.

The hallways outside his room were deserted, not surprising since it was only just after 5am, most of the attendants didn't start work until 7 or so, though there was of course a few that liked to get a head start so they would get off earlier later on. Gaara was kind to those who worked for him; so long as they did 

all their work, they were permitted to return to their homes whenever they wished. He smiled faintly thinking about his best friend, it turns out that Gaara had a kinder heart than people gave him credit for, though slowly his village seemed to have gotten used to him and accepted him.

Naruto made his way down the quiet hallway, nodded and giving a kind smile to those early risers he happened to run into on the way to Gaara's office. After walking up 3 flights of stairs, he came to the large wooden double doors, waiting for the guards to push it open and announce his presence to the Kazekage. He confidently strode into the room, grinning at Gaara. "Well, by the looks of your hair, you've fallen asleep at some point during the night."

Gaara shot Naruto a glare, running a hand through his hair which was unusually flat on one side and out of control messy on the other. "Oh shut up Uzumaki, I assume you're prepared to leave?" he glanced at Naruto's bag, as if stressing the point.

"Yeah yeah, did you know that you're even grumpier when you sleep? So, are we leaving now?"

Gaara nodded affirmative. "Yes, it will be just me and you; no one else will travel with us on this one. All the other ninja are staying in Suna to protect and monitor the village in case of emergencies. This mission will last a few days, perhaps a bit more should complications arise."

"Complications…?" Naruto glanced at Gaara with a concerned look on his face. It was his job to protect his friend, and as such he needed to be informed on all the details.

"Yes, complications. I am going to refresh the treaty between Suna and Konoha, as the five year period is done now, we must re-evaluate everything and set new terms. This is a negotiation between the me, the hokage, and the village elders of Konoha. I'm not sure the exact amount of time it will take, but hopefully not too long as I don't wish to leave my village alone for an extended period of time." He picked up his own bag and walked towards the door. "Come then, we'll head out now."

Naruto followed Gaara, both of them leaving the kazekage building hastily and starting the day-long trek through the desert. Since both of them were skilled and possessed the abilities of the demons they sheltered, they were able to make the journey at a fast pace, running non-stop and without setting up camp at the height of the day.

The silence was natural between the two. They were on a mission, and nothing such as trivial conversation would interfere with that. Naruto had to be on the lookout for any potential danger, and Gaara had to navigate them safely through the desert's many traps, many of which he had installed himself as a way to further defend Suna.

It wasn't long before they reached the forest, the same forest that Naruto had killed the thief in. "Gaara, from here we can teleport outside of the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village, though we'll have to be wary not to startle the guards or they'll attack us." he received a nod in return and the two of them 

disappeared. Gaara in a cloud of smoke and sand, Naruto in a burst of flames, both reappearing a few feet away from each other just before the gates of Konoha.

The guards had their weapons pointed, and tossed them without warning, only to have them deflected and shot back at them. Looking through their Anbu masks, they saw the Kazekage, with a figure in black before him, a black and gold kunai drawn, clearly what had been used to toss their weapons back at them. "Forgive us, Kazekage, but you shouldn't have simply appeared before the gates knowing we're still on guard for Sound nin."

Naruto rolled his eyes, sparing a glance at Gaara, clearly stating 'I told you so'. They both moved forward, the Suna leader taking the lead now as the gates opened. A curtain of dread seemed to fall over Naruto, he could practically feel the memories rushing through his head, his body tensing a bit, he swallowed and took the first step into the Hidden Leaf Village.


	4. Suspicions and Fate

Q: Why would he go back there?  
A: Because it is a mission, and I wouldn't have much of a story if I didn't send him back

Q: Will there be any Gaara/Naruto action?  
A: Unfortunately, no. This fic will most likely be a Naru/Sasu or some other pairing, but I have no intentions of Naruto and Gaara being more than friends. Perhaps I'll do a one-shot that's a spin off of this that has some action between them. ;)

Q: How are others going to react to Naruto's leaving?  
A: You'll find out soon enough.

Q: Why don't you update often?  
A: Because I have school issues, work, a boyfriend, and some other stories to juggle around. I'll do my best to update every month or so at the latest though!

Q: Why isn't Naruto considered a missing nin?  
A: I'm getting to that, but I'm glad you're already thinking ahead. ;)

--

Naruto's senses were instantly bombarded with the images, smells, and sounds of his past. They were bittersweet memories, the good ones tainted with the dark stain of the bad ones. Before allowing himself to get drawn into them, he reminded himself of the mission. Staring straight ahead, he took his stance beside Gaara, the both of them casually walking towards Hokage Tower. No glances with exchanged between them, appearances had to be kept up, for the sake of Suna's (and Gaara's) reputation. It wouldn't do well for the Kazekage to be acting all giggly or giddy with one of his subjects, even if that person was his best friend. Not that the great Gaara Sabaku did anyways.

Gaara was worried about his friend, not because he didn't think Naruto could handle himself, no, the fox boy was without a doubt able to control himself. He was more concerned about the Uchiha's emotional outbursts. He had heard many rumours in the past four years, none of them a good thing to mention to Naruto, so he hadn't. Some of them included the rampage that Sasuke had gone on the day after his lover had taken off, how he had nearly ripped apart half of his family estate in a rage and how Kakashi had to forcibly restrain him. Sasuke had been detained and tested for his mental stability, but the results came out perfectly fine. It showed nothing abnormal in his brain waves, he had simply been angry, though no one but Naruto, Sasuke and himself knew the reason.

He suddenly heard a sharp intake of breath, and his eyes fell to Naruto's form. His friend had stopped a few paces behind him, and he was staring inside what seemed to be a flower shop. 'What is he staring at?' Gaara turned and faced the window, eyes widening a fraction in realization. 'That Haruno girl…they used to be teammates. This could be bad.' His emerald orbs flashed back to Naruto in an instant, he raised an eyebrow in question.  


Crimson eyes widened a fraction, his breathing still as he stared at the girl he used to love, not so much in the sense he had once believed, but more as a trusted friend. Whether he still felt that way, well, he wasn't sure, I suppose time dims most emotions. He noticed the shift of Gaara's gaze in the corner of his heightened vision, and gave his friend a grim smile and a nod, wordlessly transmitting the message 'I'm fine'.

The two of them continued, Naruto glancing back only once more before continuing down the busy streets of Konoha. They received some strange looks on the way, both from people who knew who Gaara was, and those who were more curious about the 'handsome young man' walking being the Kazekage.

Naruto's nervousness slowly ebbed away the closer they got to the Hokage tower, he had yet to run into anyone he knew from previously, well, at least not anyone who had recognized him. He had caught a fleeting glance of Sakura, but she had been rather engrossed with a tall blonde woman whom he took to be Ino. He had also seen Chouji at the local BBQ stand, shovelling ghastly amounts of food into his mouth, too busy to look up and see.

'Now for the hard part…Tsunade…she probably won't be too happy I didn't keep in contact all these years, I had promised her I would.' He looked down at the ground, kicking a rock while coincidently caught the attention of his companion as it nailed him in the back of the heel.

Gaara turned and shot Naruto a half-hearted glare, not truly angry but getting his point across nonetheless 'Stop fidgeting, idiot.'He continued the ridiculously long trek to the Hokage tower. 'You would think they would demand to have someone escort us there, we are ninja from a village known for its changing allegiance.' He mused, making quick subtle glances around them, noting a few out of place shadows that just didn't seem to be disappearing no matter how long they walked. 'Ah, so we are being followed. Perhaps this Tsunade isn't such a fool after all.' He stopped walking, Naruto stopping beside him, eyes silently questioning. "I was hoping our guests would step out of the shadows and greet us properly, as civil members of an ally village would." He didn't bothering looking toward the people he knew were hidden.

Naruto had also noticed the people following, but felt it best not to mention anything previously for fear of getting himself in trouble, or worse, noticed. He had no desire to deal with his old comrades, not after disappearing so suddenly.

Forms soon came out of the shadows, aligning themselves before Gaara, giving slight nods of their heads. "Forgive us Kazekage-sama, it is simply protocol. Surely you understand." Said a cool voice, very smooth, clearly a ladies' man or one used to charming others in order to get his way.

Gaara studied each person as they came before him. Three in total, all male, they looked to be around his age, except for one who looked middle-aged. He recognized all of them from the chuunin exams 

years back, though he couldn't place a name to the face.

The one who had spoken looked rather feminine, at least in Gaara's opinion. He had long sleek hair, black or brown, it was hard to tell. Blood-line limit eyes, pearly white and apparently he felt threatened by the gaze of the sand nin, seeing as veins were slowly forming at the edges of his eyes. 'He is attempting to see if I have anything dangerous on my person, or if I am building up chakra preparing for an attack. What an idiot, why would I come escorted by only one guard if I was planning a full-scale attack on their village.' He allowed the chakra of his demon, Shukaku, to flare up briefly. The effect was immediate, the veins around the man's eyes disappeared and his pale hand shot up cover his eyes, as if they had been burned.

The two others shot forward instantly seeing the reaction their comrade had. "What did you do to him?!" cried out a loud voice, strained with half-concealed distress. His black hair would have been promising, had it not been for the bowl cut and obscure round eyes that it didn't manage to hide. 'I remember this one now, Rock Lee, the one who I fought at the exams…still as spirited as ever I see.' He looked Lee up and down briefly, before finally speaking. "I merely showed him what he was looking for. Don't worry, he is in no way damaged, it is almost like looking at the sun on a particularly hot afternoon."

Lee glanced at his friend. "Neji, are you okay?" he waited for mumbled confirmation before slowly easing out of his fighting stance. "Forgive me Kazekage-sama" he bowed his head down slightly.

"May I ask why you have decided to take the long way to the tower?" a voice came from behind a orange book of questionable subject matter. "You could have taken a shorter route straight from the gates, merely a 10 minute walk as opposed to the 30 minute one you've taken." The man calmly stated, paying only partial attention to Gaara and his escort.

"We merely wished to view the sights; it has been such a long time since our last visit." Gaara replied with equal indifference, clearly making it obvious that he wasn't required to answer, but merely dignified the silver haired man with an answer because he was patient that day. "If you are that concerned with our getting there at a particular time, perhaps you should take us there now, or do you plan on lurking in the shadows some more?" He raised a non-existent eyebrow.

"So, you both have been here before?" the masked man glanced at the blond haired companion to the right of Gaara. Before he got much of a chance to look, Gaara had interrupted him again demanding he take them to the tower immediately, effectively stepping in front of his escort. "Yes of course, follow us please." Kakashi motioned to the other two and they took off toward the tower, Gaara and Naruto following.

Naruto let out a breath of relief, he knew that Kakashi was smart, but even the copy ninja couldn't figure him out if he couldn't study him long enough. Gaara had made sure Kakashi had no chance of looking him over too carefully, he had to remember to thank his friend for that later. For now, the issue at hand, 

dealing with a psychotic, alcoholic who enjoyed gambling a bit too much, who was also ironically the ruler of a great nation.

When they arrived at the Hokage tower, Neji, Lee and Kakashi quickly made the excuse that they had to attend to the gates, and took off without another word. This left Gaara and Naruto to walk up the sets of stairs to the top of the tower, running into Shizune at the desk outside of Tsunade's office.

"I am here to see the Hokage, as I'm sure you know." Gaara stated plainly, clearly not amused that they had been followed and then had their little walk interrupted.

Shizune looked up at Gaara, nodding. "Yes, she is expecting you. There was just a small mishap which she is dealing with at the moment. Forgive the tardiness, it is truly inevitable." She bowed and walked to the office door, gently knocking and opening it. Immediately loud shouts filled the lobby.

"I don't give a shit; I'm not doing another one of those pointless missions. I am going to train away from this oppressing village!" an angry voice rang out, deep and sultry if it had not been for the fact that the user was acting so cold.

"Listen up, you're lucky you are allowed to do missions at all with your past records." A bored voice replied. "You will do the mission, or be put under surveillance. Now get out."

"I WILL be going to train. Kakashi will be continuing my training and I will then be taking leave from the village." Angry stomping following by the appearance of black hair and pale skin, along with the darkest eyes imaginable.

Naruto froze, crimson eyes widening and his mouth hanging open ever so slightly. He frantically whipped around to stare at Gaara, willing a way out of the room without being noticed.

Too late.

"…You…" the raven rang out.


	5. Identity and Plot

Q: Tsunade knows he left, but what was everyone else told?

A: Everyone else was told that Naruto had been transferred to another village for the sake of his training. Or something along those lines. ;)

Q: Why didn't the others check out Naruto more closely when they knew he had been transferred to another village?

A: They didn't check because they don't know WHAT village, they only know that Naruto has been gone without a word for four years, chances are they wouldn't even think about it after four years.

Q: But it was mentioned that Naruto and Gaara were in Konoha before…

A: Yes, true enough. But in the series itself EVERYONE seems to make a trip to Konoha. Half of the sand village would have been there, seeing as they took part in the chuunin exams there at one point or may have been there for missions. Its not an uncommon thing.

Q: How much of the series has taken place?

A: To be honest, I'm not really relying too much on the series, but I'd say that Shippuden doesn't come into effect here. It is before Sai's time. Yes, Sasuke did leave.

Q: So why is Sasuke back?

A: You'll find out…eventually.

"…You…" the raven rang out. "What the hell are you staring at Sabaku?" Sasuke snarled out at Gaara, who was standing right in front of him with his arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his face.

"Nothing impressive. Just a whiny little boy who has yet to discover the miracle of a hairbrush." Sneered Gaara, effectively placing himself in front of Naruto who had dashed over to the desk where Shizune now sat, filling out forms.

"Watch yourself Kazekage, you're not in Suna anymore. I remember what you've done, I promise I'll make you pay."

"Perhaps you should watch yourself Uchiha, from what I've heard, you've done some rather inexcusable things yourself as of recently." Came the cool response.

"Whatever, I have no time for you now." He stomped out of the room, paying no attention to Naruto who stood only a couple of feet away.

Naruto let out a breath he had no idea he had been holding, and shot a nervous smile at Shizune. "…Hey, uh, I suppose you don't remember me…"

"Oh, I do." Came the quick reply. "Naruto Uzumaki, I feel sorry for you. I dare not do more than whisper your name, as soon as she finds out you're here she's gonna-"

"UZUMAKI!" the shout was followed by a rather unmanly shriek and the sounds of a tussle. By the end of it, Naruto was laying flat on his back covered with bruises and lumps forming on his head.

"What the hell was that for you old hag?!" Naruto shot up, his old characteristics coming back at the sight of the woman he considered to be family. "Geez, you're going to give me a concussion or something!"

"Don't you give me that! FOUR YEARS! What happened to 'oh yes, of course I'll write and keep contact, I'll make sure you know I'm not DEAD'. I suppose that went right out the window as soon as you had taken off to Suna, right? And YOU!" her furious gaze levelled on Gaara. "You were supposed to give me monthly reports on him, yet I received nothing! That was part of the deal for letting him go. It seemed quite suspicious that he was transferred to another village when I didn't receive the reports I'm supposed to get. Do you have ANY idea how hard it was to keep Iruka from hunting him down? Well?" she grilled the young ruler.

"I simply found it of little importance to write to you each month when he was progressing normally and causing no problems. If there had been any major issues, you would have been informed." Gaara stared her in the eyes.

"Heeeyyy, I didn't know anything about reports being written on me! You never told ME about that!"

"Shut up Naruto." Came the reply from both Tsunade and Gaara.

"…Fine. So hag, where is my room? I'm tired and looking forward to some sleep." Naruto yawned and stretched just to make his point clear.

All it earned him was an eye roll. "Its only 3, far too early for you to be sleeping. Shouldn't you be catching up with your old friends or something? They've missed you." Tsunade said pointedly.

"Oh, yeah…I guess I'm supposed to. But can it just wait for a bit longer maybe? I mean, I don't want to interrupt everyone and I need to stay with Gaara…"

"I'm fine here Naruto. I believe it better to go patch things up with your comrades." Gaara cut in, sending that excuse right out the window.

"Ugh, you're all plotting against me aren't you? Fine, I'll go see Iruka sensei, I mean, he was the first to find out about me going missing wasn't he? I owe him the biggest apology and explanation. With that he climbed the window sill and jumped out, landing on the nearest rooftop and making his way to Iruka's old home.

"He's hiding something." Tsunade pointed out grimly.

"Yes, I know. This is why I brought him back. There is something wrong and I fear he won't be able to face it until he confronts his past. I only hope I made the right choice. That Uchiha…"

"Do not worry about Sasuke, he has no idea about Naruto's return. If we are lucky he will not find out quite yet, the last thing we need is for him to do something stupid again."

"I hope you're right. Now, I suppose we should be going over that treaty now that the main focus of this little venture is missing."

"This way Sabaku, we have much to discuss."

With that the two of them walked into the Hokage office, calling Shizune in to take notes as well.


	6. Reunion and Brooding

Naruto landed on Iruka's porch, his sandal clad feet making a hollow thump as they made contact. 'Well…I guess this is it. Time to put on the happy mask and make my surrogate mother happy. Heh, mother, that's funny. Iruka is really like a mother to me I guess, always making sure I ate properly and got a good night's sleep. I owe him this visit, if nothing more.'

With his mind set that he was actually doing the right thing, he walked up to the door and gave it a little rap with his knuckles, knowing that Iruka would hear it, after all, he dealt with mischievous little ninja all day, so his hearing was well trained enough to catch a paper airplane leaving a small hand and heading toward his back.

It only took a minute or two for a call of 'coming' to reach Naruto's ears. He began to fidget with his sleeves, pulling them down and trying to make them symmetrical. Once he was sure they were equal down to the last thread he pulled the hem of the bottom down a bit, not wanting to look like a complete slob in front of his old teacher.

The door opened slightly, and the sound of a chain lock being pulled aside was heard as well as mumbled cursing about over paranoid idiots who insisted on putting a useless lock on the door. Finally the door fully opened, and standing before him was his old and much adored teacher from a time long ago.

"…Naruto?" came the astonished voice, brown eyes were wide and focused on the blond in front of him. "Is it really you?" came the question, choked by raw emotion in the man's voice.

Naruto plastered a big grin on his face, raising his arms up and letting out a cry of "Yep! It's me without a doubt! The number one ninja and of course your best former student." He was about to go into another rant when he felt himself being tugged into a hug by Iruka. "Ca-can't b-b-breath…" gasped out Naruto.

"Oops, sorry Naruto. Its just been so long and-How could you leave without saying goodbye?! A note! A NOTE! That's all the notice I got. I looked for you for days and you didn't turn up anywhere and the Hokage won't tell me where you've been, only that you decided to transfer to a new village…and and, well, Naruto where on earth were you?!" Iruka let out the whole tangent in one breath, and began inhaling deeply, releasing Naruto from the hug of doom in the process.

"I know, I was so totally wrong. But, if I had told you, you would have stopped me. You need to understand, I HAD to go, there wasn't any option for me. I was at the end of my leash and had no real choice, I just needed to…escape. Please forgive me." By the end of it his head was bowed down in shame.

"Oh Naruto, look, I was upset, but never mad. Don't worry I know you had your reasons for leaving and someday I hope you'll tell me." He let out a sigh, and with it went his terse expression, replaced with a hearty grin. "But for now, lets put that behind us and get something to eat. You still eat ramen?"

"Of course! This time, I'll pay! I need to start working off that tab of ramen you've paid for when I was younger. Let's go!" he took off almost immediately kicking up dirt as he went.

Iruka ran after him, thinking 'Oh Naruto, what am I going to do with you?' he sighed and hurried to catch up to the loud mouthed ninja. 'But I know you're hiding something Naruto, you put on that happy front, the same one you used when you were younger. But…its stronger now. You're hiding something more, and I can't figure you out.'

Sasuke was brooding around his estate, gritting his teeth and thinking about that damn old woman Tsunade. Ever since he got back to Konoha he had been kept under a tight watch, with anbu following him around constantly. It was downright infuriating.

But after a few years his constant companions had slimmed down until the surveillance stopped completely. Trust had been regained. He could have avoided the whole issue if he had remained with Orochimaru, but he had changed all of that. It was all his fault.

Sasuke nearly chipped his own tooth, his teeth grinding against each other even harder after that last thought. It was always about him. That was why he left Orochimaru, because all his aspirations were ruined as soon as the words left that damn fools mouth.

Sasuke shook his head, black hair bobbing and quickly made his way into the kitchen to get himself some tea to calm his raging thoughts.

'Why did he have to come and suddenly begin spewing words of endearment and love? Because of him my plot to seek revenge became meaningless. Damn it, how long does that tea take to boil?' he cursed and glared at the teapot, hoping the heat from his glance would make it whistle faster.


	7. Good Bye My Friend

Naruto smiled contently, stretching out on the comfy bed he was given by Tsunade. He was glad he had gone to see Iruka, it had really been worthwhile. Surprisingly Iruka didn't attempt to make him feel guilty about leaving; he simply accepted it, though he was disappointed that Naruto hadn't left much more than a note.

Azure eyes drifted shut, eyelashes brushing the top of his scarred cheeks.'Where has the time gone…I'm already twenty…and what have I accomplished so far? As it is, my life still has no worth or meaning. All I have gone is caused the people close to me an undesirable amount of grief and pain.' He sighed softly, eyes once again opening to stare blankly at the white ceiling.

"This is hopeless, I can't possibly sleep now." He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and pushed himself up. Sluggishly, he pulled on his clothes and made his way across the room to the oak door, pulling it open and slipping out. Padding down the hallway for only a few seconds he made it to the door next to this own. Not bothering to knock, he opened it slightly and poked his head in.

A rusty haired Kazekage sat on the window sill, staring longingly over Konoha, towards Suna. His glowing orbs turned to look at Naruto, acknowledging his presence, before their gaze made its way back toward where he instinctively knew the desert lay.

Naruto opened the door fully and stepped into the room. "I miss it too." he voiced softly, walking to the window and letting himself stare in the same direction as Gaara. He inhaled deeply, his heightened sense of smell picking up the ever so faint smell of sand that was carried in the wind.

Gaara turned to look at Naruto with eyes half closed "Strange, how you can only appreciate something fully after you've lost it."

"…You refer to Konoha, I assume. You must understand Gaara, this place was never a home to me, simply a pit stop on my way to a true family." Naruto whispered.

"Naruto Uzumaki, you still believe you can lie to me? We have known each other for far too long to be lying. I could hear your heart beat faster, the closer we got to Konoha. Your eyes betrayed your concealed joy, anticipation of returning here. Suna was merely a sanctuary, but you know your only salvation will ultimately come from this place. Your home."

"…Gaara, would you forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive. Should you desire to stay here, then I fully support that. You know that the gates of Suna are always open to you, Naruto, my dear friend. However, I truly believe that this is the place for you, as much as it pains me to say."

"Thank you Gaara. I promise, I will not abandon you. I just need more time…time to figure it all out. I must make amends with everyone, or I fear I will slowly descend into despair, and eventually death. I 

have too much to do, I cannot die yet. I will return to Suna, that is a promise. And Naruto Uzumaki never-"

"Goes back on a promise. Because that is my way of the ninja." Gaara finished for him, a knowing smile on his face.

Naruto smiled, inclining his head gently. "Give me a week. I will take a week to make things right with everyone."

"Everyone? Including Uchiha?" Gaara questioned, eyebrow raised.

"…I…yes, everyone. Including Uchiha." Naruto responded, the final words being spoken confidently, and in that moment, he truly believed them.

He stood up, brushing his golden hair out of his eyes with his fingers, and turned to give a radiant smile to his best friend. "I will see you in a week then, Gaara."

"A week Naruto." Gaara returned the smile, with much less exuberance, but equal love. 'Naruto, you have helped me grow, and I'm glad you are allowing yourself to grow as well. Take care, kitsune, I'm sure when we meet again you will be happier.' Gaara nodded at Naruto, and watched him leave.

Naruto closed the door to Gaara's room, and then made his way down the hallway, not towards his own room but to the doorway. He had some thinking to do before his reintroduction into Konoha.


	8. Stone

Naruto sat upon the fourth hokage's head, his hand grazing the smooth stone surface wistfully. "I always wanted to be like you, you know. A hokage worthy of the title, one who would sacrifice everything for his village." He chuckled darkly "Things didn't turn out that way though, did they?"

Naruto allowed his bright blue eyes to gaze over the darkened city of Konoha. The only light shone from the Hokage tower, where Tsunade was without a doubt drinking herself silly, and Shizune was completing the necessary paperwork.

Naruto smiled wryly, things hadn't changed all that much since he had been gone. He could still see the faint colourful stains on the faces of the Hokage monument he was currently sitting on, stains from the paint that he had graciously used to decorate the statues with when he was only twelve.

Tsunade still drank like a fish, and left Shizune to do most of the work. Not much had changed in that department. Iruka was still a caring teacher at the academy, dedicating his days to training the next generation, as opposed to going on lengthy missions. Kakashi, if that orange book was any indication, was still a pervert, but as perceptive as always. Neji was still a smooth talker, and used to getting his way. Lee was still, well...Lee. Sakura and Ino were obviously best friends still, seeing as they hung out together.

Sasuke was still moody and obviously still restricted mission wise. From what Naruto remembered, the Uchiha was allowed to take all the necessary exams so that he would excel to a Jounin level, but he was not allowed any missions above a B rank. Sasuke had been enraged. Apparently, he was still stuck on those same missions, judging from his outburst in the office.

Naruto sighed and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and flopping down on the cool stone below him. He turned onto his side so his cheek rested on it. When he opened his eyes, they were a bloody red.

"You can come out now." He spoke just above a whisper.

"You've got some explaining to do Naruto." Came a cool voice.

Naruto sat up, stretching as he did so, and turned to look at his guest. His eyes met that of the sharingan.  
He smiled wryly and their eyes met.

"I was wondering when you'd show up..."

Before any more words were spoken, the man rushed at Naruto.


End file.
